Rack or body for wagons and trucks



Mw 5, i936. MSMITH www?" RACK OR BODY FOR WAGONS AND TRUCKS Filed June 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l L um. MR Imm@ iz'mewfr May 5, i936. f M SMH-H @039,667

RACK OR BODY FOR WAGONS AND TRUCKS Filed June 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES RACK OR BODY FOR WAGONS AND TRUCKS Morris smith, chester, Mone.

Application June 26, 1935, Serial No. v28,442

2 Claims.

My invention relates generally to improvements in racks or bodies for wagons and trucks and the main object is to provide an assembly of this kind made up of a number of complementary 5 parts which may be packed and shipped knocked down and assembled readily by the purchaser or intended user to form a hay rack, stock rack or similar body for a wagon or truck.

Another object is to provide an assembly of this kind in a simple, inexpensive and readily assembled form comprising a pair of main sills or beams having means for mounting on the wagon or truck chassis, a plurality of substantially U- shaped cross beams or yokes adapted to be se- P cured in spaced relation crosswise along the sills,

a pair of inverted U-Shaped end beams or frames adapted to be secured at the ends of the sills, a

plurality of elongated strips adapted to be secured along the upturned ends of the cross and end beams to form the ends and sides of the rack, and a sectional bottom of wood or sheet metal adapted to be secured to the horizontal portions of the cross beams to form the floor of the rack.

Another object is to provide novel, simple and conveniently manipulated meansv for fastening the said strips in place both at their ends and intermediate their ends to their supporting beams.

With these and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed, reference being -had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side View of an assembled hay rack made up in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a cross section along the line 2-2 in Figure l.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmental perspective 40 view of one corner of the rack showing the connections of the side and end strips.

Figure 4 is a fragmental elevation of a medial portion of one side strip.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmental cross sec- 45 tion through one side of the rack taken along the line 5-5 in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a section along the line 6 6 in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmental perspective view of one end of one sill showing the mounting of the end frame thereon.

In the specic exemplication of my invention as a hay rack shown in the drawings the reference numerals 8 and 9 designate a pair of elongated main sills conveniently and inexpensively formed of channel iron and adapted when assembled to be set up in spaced parallel relation as shown forming the supporting means for the whole rack. It is understood that these sills 8 and 9 as well as all other parts to be described are originally packed and shipped flat or knocked down so as to reduce storage, packing and shipping expenses and only the assembly of these parts will be herein described.

The sills 8 and 9 are held in the aforesaid spaced relation by U-shaped cross beams I9 set up along the length of the sills and secured thereto by their horizontal portions or bights II as shown. The fasteners I2 by which these beams i@ are mounted as well as all the fasteners to be hereinafter described may be rivets, screws or bolts as found most suitable in practice but are shown as being rivets. The cross beams I8 are also formed of channel iron and include in addition to the aforesaid bights II the spaced upstanding legs or arms I3 set out some distance from the sills 8 and 9 by their relatively elongated bights and which may diverge upwardly if desired or be exactly parallel as shown whichever is desired. The beams I0 nearest the ends of the sills are set back slightly from the ends of the sills as shown and their arms I3 are slightly longer than are the arms of the intermediate beams as designated at I4.

The floor I5 of the rack is made up as shown of a plurality of long sheets I6 of sheet metal secured by fasteners II to the horizontal bights II of the beams I0 and covering all of the space within the arms I3.

Inverted substantially U-shaped angle-iron formed end beams or frames I8 are mounted at the ends of the racks by folding back one web I9 of the lower ends of each leg 20 of these beams to lie flat alongside the exposed ends of the sills 8 and 9 just outside the endmost cross beam I0 and securing these webs to the sills by fasteners 2I. The legs 20 are of course the same distance apart as the sills 8 and 9 and the bights 22 of the beams I8 are disposed uppermost some distance above the level of the beams III.

The upstanding arms I3 of the cross beams I0 have each a plurality of evenly spaced slots 23 in their connecting webs 24 which lie at right angles to the sides of the rack while the legs 20 of the end beams I8 have similar slots 25 in the webs 26 at right angles to the end lines of the rack as a whole, the slots 23 and 25 being all formed in horizontal alignment as shown. The under sides or margins of the slots 23 and 25 are cut out downwardly as shown at 21 to form locking tongues 28 for a purpose to be described. A plurality of elongated side strips or rails 29 and shorter end strips or rails 30 are provided in numbers equal to the number of vertically spaced slots in one cross beam IU and one end beam I8 and each strip 29 and 30 has one straight end 3l with an adjacent aperture 32 and one end 33 bent at right angle to form a short connecting end or nger 34 havingan aperture 35. In use the side strips 29 are inserted endwise straight ends `iirs't through the slots 23 and the end strips 30 are similarly inserted through the slots 25. The arrangment is then such that the straight Aends 3| of the strips on each side and end are disposed alongside the right angularly turned fingers 34 of the adjacent strips and the strips are then all connected by fasteners 36 through the then aligned apertures 32 and 35. The sides and ends of the rack are then inclosed by the upstanding framework of beams and strips described.

VEach of the strips 29 and 30 have Va plurality of notches 3l in their intended lower edges spaced apart so as to register with the slots 23 and 25 and the aforesaid tongues 28 being initially bent outward or to one side (Figure 6) may then be hammered back to upright position into engage-` VVment with the notches 31 whereby the strips 29 and 39 are all held against longitudinal displacement through the slots.

Short brace bars or strips 38 are secured at 39 Y Vto the extended upper .ends |74 of the end cross beams YIl) and extend angularly inward to the upper ends of the adjacent inner beams where they are secured at 43 as shown.

It will be readily evident from the foregoing that the assembly and `construction of ahay rack from these parts is straightforward and readily carried out and forms a rigid, durable and inexpensive rack when completed. The sills 8 and 9 may carry any suitable means for Vmounting on the wagon trucks or truck chassis as for instance the wagon bolsters 4| shown.

For a stock rack theroor I would ypreferably be made of wood and doors be arranged between the legs 20 of the end beams I8 and yof course the size may be varied at will to ta truck, wagon or trailer.

While I have herein set forth a certain preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that I may vary from the same in minor structural details, so as best to construct a practical device for the purpose intended, not departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the kind described, a pair of parallel beams, a plurality of U-shaped cross beams secured `by their bights in crosswise position upon the beams at spaced points, a sectional floor built up on the bights of the cross beams, a

pair of inverted U-shaped end beams including legs secured at their lower ends to the ends of the sills, the said legs of the end beams and the upstanding arms of the cross beams all having spaced aligned notches, a plurality of elongated 'side and end strips each having a straight end and an end with a finger turned at right angles, the said strips being inserted lengthwise straight ends first into thesaid slots, whereby the straight ends fall alongside'the said fingers and are Asecured thereto at the corners of the rack.

2. In a device of the kind described, a pair of parallel beams, a vplurality of U-shape-d cross beams secured by their bights in crosswise position upon the beams at spaced points, a sectional floor built `up on the bights of the cross beams, a pair of inverted U-shaped end beams including legs secured at theirflower ends to the ends of the sills, the said legs of the end beams and the upstanding arms of the cross beams all having spaced aligne-d notches, a plurality of elongated side and end strips each having a straight end and an end with a nger turned at right angles, the said strips being inserted lengthwise straight ends first into the said slots, whereby the straight ends fall alongside the said fingers and are secured thereto at the corners of the rack, the said strips having notches in their undersides spaced apart to register with the said slots, and locking tongues formed at the lower margins of the said slots to engage the notches and lock the strips against axial displacement through the slots.

MORRIS SMITH. 

